Strange Reactions
by xSerenityIsn'tAlwaystheAnswerx
Summary: short summary. Pepper's reaction when Clara gets accepted into SHIELD, and she doesn't.


**i guess my head is full of ideas for new stories, since this is my third new story in a week so far. maybe i'll have more ideas, maybe i won't. my 20th story too :)**

''So why am I doing this again?'' Tony asked Pepper as they drove down the busy ever noisy streets of New York, to the SHIELD towers downtown.

''Don't you want to see me pass my exam test?'' Pepper(who she and Tony were 21) said, holding the application in her hands. ''I can't believe they actually gave me a second chance at this!''

''Me either.'' Tony muttered.

''What was that?''

''Nothing.'' Tony tried to make conversation. ''So just in case you don't pass, how about you come work for me at Stark International? I could always use another assistant.''

Pepper glared at him. ''Tony are you _trying _to jinx me here? You know how much I want this job.''

Tony gave a half-hearted smile. ''No, I do want you to pass but I want you to know that there's a second option.'' Truth is Tony didn't want her to pass at all. He wanted her to come work for him in Stark International, but Pepper never thought of that as a second job option, the only thing she only saw in her future, were jet packs. Tony couldn't bear to see her with one.

'' I don't want to think about second options, that will only just make me feel nervous that I won't pass.'' Pepper said. ''Just be supportive okay?'' She said as they pulled up in front of the building.

Tony will be supportive alright, but only from a distance. Who knows what accident she might get herself into, and he didn't want to be a part of it.

Pepper skipped up to the doors and waved at the guard, who just looked behind her, as if ignoring her presence.

''Hi!'' She said, giving her best smile. ''I'm going to pass my exam today! Isn't that exciting?''

''Huh.'' Was all the guard said. ''You're not like any of the others who have come here and _failed.''_

''Failed?'' Pepper felt her confidence diminishing. ''What do you mean?''

''The bubbly type. You. They've all come through here looking like ecstatic folks and two hours later come out red-eyed and emotionless. They didn't have the guts to face the risks.''

''I'm not going to be like that!'' Pepper defended herself and all the other bubbly personalities in the world. ''I'll pass, just wait and see! How do you think I put up with that all the time?'' She said pointing back at Tony, who had heard every word she'd said.

''Okay enough pointing fingers at me, and lets just get this over with.'' Tony said, pushing Pepper inside after giving the guard a polite smile.

''Well you are the cause of most of my problems.'' Pepper said, letting him push her. ''I mean no use ignoring it.''

_Like I wish I could ignore you? Not a chance. _Tony thought.

He let her walk on her own and they went into the waiting area, where a head of red hair, redder than Pepper's, was buried over a weapons magazine.**(A/N: yes they have those)**

Tony recognized it out of nowhere immediately, after he would for Pepper's, and touched the girl's shoulder. ''Clara? Is that you?''

The girl, who looked so much like Pepper herself, looked up and smiled, her freckles stretching across her face. ''Hi Tony!'' She also had the same voice as Pepper. Well kind of. ''What brings you here? It was Pepper wasn't it?''

Pepper now was aware of the situation and came over. ''Clara what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be back at campus?''

''Oh they had a science lab explosion and it took half the building with it down.'' Clara answered cheerily. ''So I took the opportunity to come down here.''

''And do what exactly?'' Pepper asked. ''Sign up?''

''Yes.'' Clara nodded. ''You too? Oh this is so cool!'' Both Pepper and her sister acted like pre-teens, regardless of their ages.

''Wait a minute, you're not trained enough to do this sort of stuff. I took training classes. You went to college. What makes you think they'll accept you?''

''Everybody's different Pepper. I'll pass the test, and you can get a 'come back next year' card and go work for Tony.''

Pepper felt her cheeks burned up, but not from embarrassment. ''I can beat you any day, okay? You're only two years younger than me, and I can beat you at many things. Don't get your hopes up.''

''Fine. We'll see how this goes. It's been a long time since we'd had a fight anyways. Might as well have one now.'' Clara said, standing up to her full height, which was a few inches over Pepper's head.

''You're on.''

* * *

''Are you two ready for the training part of the test?'' The trainer, who's name was Mike, asked the girls after they were suited up and in the arena. They were going to box each other, they had to be in shape to be in SHIELD, and this was one way of seeing what they had in them.

''Always ready.'' Pepper said, bouncing a little, she couldn't wait for the fight to begin.

''Born ready.'' Clara said with a confident tone.

''Don't hurt each other in the process!'' Tony shouted from his place in the stands. He meant it, once those girls started fighting they wouldn't stop till someone was bruised.

But before the trainer could blow his whistle the girls were at it, boxing away like mad people, not once hitting the other that would leave a mark. The trainer got out of the way, just in time as Pepper threw a blow at Clara's stomach, who stumbled a little and fell.

Pepper smirked in victory, until Clara pulled her down to which Pepper's face made contact with the arena itself. She swore Clara broke her nose.

''Now who's in charge?'' Clara yelled, getting up and then yanking Pepper by her hair. ''Let's see who will stay alive now!''

That got Pepper motivated again and she jumped up, and they both circled around the arena before charging at each other. Tony thought they would collide their heads together but Clara gave a surprise attack at Pepper, kicking her in the face with her foot and then punching her in the stomach, which shocked all three of them. Someone started clapping from the entrance way.

''Very good.'' Nick Fury himself said, stepping down the steps at a slow pace. ''Where did you learn to box like that, Miss?''

Clara moved a strand of hair behind her ear, still energetic from the fight. ''I got boxing lessons while I was in college.''

''You did?'' Pepper groaned, clutching her stomach, not caring about her face.

''Yes, I did. Dad had some extra money so he gave me some lessons, and they were very useful too, as you can see.''

''How old are you?'' Nick asked, and Tony wondered if the guy was insane. He was hiring a 19 yr. old to take the job of a SHIELD agent? Well, he just asked for Clara's age, nothing else, so the option could still be hanging in the air.

''I'm 19, sir.'' Clara responded. ''I'm interested in the job.''

''We don't have any workers who are under 20 yet. Would you be interested as an agent for us?'' Tony was right. The guy _was _insane.

Clara put on a professional face, which Tony never knew she had. ''Thank you sir. Should I take the exam now, first?''

''Way to keep on top of yourself.'' Nick Fury said. Before leaving, he asked Pepper, ''Are you that girl we kicked out a few years ago?''

Pepper nodded as Tony helped her up.

''You have a lot to catch up to. Your sister is way ahead of you.''

''How did you know we're sisters?'' Clara asked.

''Have you looked in mirrors? You two look like twins.'' Nick turned to leave. ''Good luck in the exams.''

* * *

Exam time came, and Pepper suddenly felt nervous because of Clara's surprise attacks in the training exercise, which wasn't one at all, really. Her palms felt sweaty, so did her forehead, her clothes seemed heavy and clung to her, and she felt like she needed air.

''Feeling nervous, sis?'' Clara asked from the other side of the room.

''No.'' Pepper said, her voice coming out cracked.

''Of course not.'' Clara said. ''Just a little shoutout, before we start this. Break a leg!''

Clara sounded so sincere, that Pepper believed she was over what had happened. ''Really?''

''Yes! Literally, do break a leg.''

Pepper sighed uncomfortably as the distributor came and handed them their exams. The questions looked like a blur to her. It felt like the Testing Exams that were held either in April or May back in elementary school, your scores revealing your future, whether as a bum or working in a high class company.

_What should you do when the helicarrier breaks down in the middle of flight?_

Oh no. Pepper didn't know what the answer was! _Now _her brain decided to forget things?

Then there was a knock at the window. Pepper looked up. It was Tony! He was waving at her and giving her the thumbs up, and even mouthing reassuring words. Pepper looked to see if Clara noticed, but she hadn't. Tony made a funny face at her, and she giggled. Well, she didn't want to end up working for him, even if it meant more time together. His assistants quit within a week, a day even. If there was that much work keeping _him _on track, Pepper would become so professional she would barely have time for fun.

So she got to work.

* * *

''I FAILED?'' Pepper exclaimed as she looked at the big fat 'REJECTED' on her test papers. Each page had one on them. ''How could I have failed? Didn't I do everything right?''

''You missed 29 questions, Miss Potts.'' Nick Fury said. ''That's one of the worst I've seen in years.''

''And what is up with all these ''REJECTED'' on my papers? Was that really necessary?''

''No, I just wanted to make you feel guilty.'' Nick Fury said sarcastically.

''I passed I passed I get a jet pack!'' Clara sang as she came out of the room. On each of her pages were big green 'ACCEPTED' letters.

''Are you serious?'' Pepper yelled, feeling to rip the paper to shreds. ''_She gets in but I _don't?''

''Hers was better than yours. She scored every question right, which showed she actually studied what was going to be given to her.'' Nick said. ''Therefore she gets a jet pack and can start on Monday.''

Pepper snapped.

She tore the paper to shreds and threw some in Clara and Nick's faces, then stormed outside to the guard.

''THIS IS WHAT I THINK OF RED-EYED AND EMOTIONLESS BUDDY!'' Pepper spit on the paper and threw it in the guards face, then storming over to the limo and getting in without Tony, telling Happy to drive off, leaving Tony in a cloud of black smoke.

That was her reaction to Clara's acceptance.

The End

* * *

**well it's pretty clear Pepper had some issues today in this story, and i made that pretty clear, and a little bit funny, so i hope you enjoyed this presentation and would review. thanks :) laugh hard**


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